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Rise of multi-authored papers in economics: Demise of the ‘lone star’ and why?

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  • Lukas Kuld

    (Trinity College Dublin)

  • John O’Hagan

    (Trinity College Dublin)

Abstract

This paper builds on previous work by reviewing the key literature relating to the rise in co-authorship in economics and by presenting further new evidence on several features of co-authorship in articles in economic journals. The empirical analysis draws on around 175,000 articles in the top 255 journals, over the period 1996–2014. The rises in quarto-plus and cross-country co-authored papers are striking, as are the differences in citations per article and citations per author. There is evidence of an alphabetical ordering of authors as the standard in co-authored papers in top journals with no downward trend evident over time. A correlation between co-authorship and career stage is observed with young authors publishing significantly more solo-authored articles.

Suggested Citation

  • Lukas Kuld & John O’Hagan, 2018. "Rise of multi-authored papers in economics: Demise of the ‘lone star’ and why?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 114(3), pages 1207-1225, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:114:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-017-2588-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-017-2588-3
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    3. Koenig, Michael & Hsieh, Chih-Sheng & Liu, Xiaodong & Zimmermann, Christian, 2018. "Superstar Economists: Coauthorship networks and research output," CEPR Discussion Papers 13239, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Klaus Wohlrabe & Lutz Bornmann, 2022. "Alphabetized co-authorship in economics reconsidered," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(5), pages 2173-2193, May.
    5. Gómez-Ferri, Javier & González-Alcaide, Gregorio & LLopis-Goig, Ramón, 2019. "Measuring dissatisfaction with coauthorship: An empirical approach based on the researchers’ perception," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 13(4).
    6. Corbet, Shaen & Dowling, Michael & Gao, Xiangyun & Huang, Shupei & Lucey, Brian & Vigne, Samuel A., 2019. "An analysis of the intellectual structure of research on the financial economics of precious metals," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
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    8. Simoes, Nadia & Crespo, Nuno, 2020. "Self-Citations and scientific evaluation: Leadership, influence, and performance," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(1).
    9. O. Mryglod & S. Nazarovets & S. Kozmenko, 2021. "Universal and specific features of Ukrainian economic research: publication analysis based on Crossref data," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(9), pages 8187-8203, September.
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    11. Rodrigo Dorantes-Gilardi & Aurora A. Ramírez-Álvarez & Diana Terrazas-Santamaría, 2021. "Is there a differentiated gender effect of collaboration with supercited authors? Evidence from early-career economists," Serie documentos de trabajo del Centro de Estudios Económicos 2021-05, El Colegio de México, Centro de Estudios Económicos.
    12. Christiane Hellmanzik & Lukas Kuld, 2021. "No place like home: geography and culture in the dissemination of economic research articles," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 201-229, July.
    13. Arnauld Bessagnet & Joan Crespo & Jerome Vicente, 2023. "How is the literature on Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystems structured? A socio-semantic network approach," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2320, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Oct 2023.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Co-authorship ; Individual contribution; Academic economic research;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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